Floor mop with sponge-type refill element



April 20, 1965 c, HEEPE 3,178,?49

FLOOR MOP WITH SPONGE-TYPE REFILL ELEMENT Filed March 19, 1965 231168154116 1 INVENTOR.

CHARLES HE EPE "Ki- W ATE/WE) April 20, 1965 c. HEEPE 3,178,749

FLOOR MOP WITH SPONGE-TYPE REFILL ELEMENT Filed March 19, 1965 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

CHARLES HE EPE United States Patent 3,178,749 FLOOR MOP WITH SPONGE-TYPEREFILL ELEMENT Charles Heepe, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor to Ideal RubberProducts (10., Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed Mar. 19, 1963, Ser. No. 266,421 6Claims. (Cl. 15-244) This invention relates to a floor mop having asponge type of refill cleaning element. It will, however, be understoodthat the invention is not limited to the use of a sponge as the cleaningelement, but may be applied to other mops having a refill type ofcleaning element. Nor is the invention limited to floor mops, but mayencompass all kinds of cleaning, polishing and waxing implements and thelike having a refill type of cleaning, polishing, waxing, etc. element.

For purposes of clarity, the invention will be described solely in termsof its application to a floor mop having a cellulose sponge cleaningelement. Essentially, such device comprises a mop head, a handle securedthereto, and a refill type of cleaning element which is detachably'mounted on the mop head. The invention relates to the means fordetachably mounting said cleaning element on said mop head.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a mop of thecharacter described, having a mop head and a refill type of cleaningelement detachably secured thereto, the securing means comprising a pairof screw elements which interconnect the mop head and the refill elementand means for adjustably positioning said screw elements on said refill.

The combination of a mop handle, a mop head and a refill cleaningelement detachably mounted on the mop head is not new and is well knownto the prior art. The conventional means for detachably securing thecleaning element to the mop head is a pair of screws which musttemporarily be held in place on the cleaning element in order to alignthem with holes provided in the mop head preparatory to threading saidscrews through said holes. Temporary positioning means to efiect suchalignment of the screws with the holes in the mop head are not providedon any of the mops of the prior art. It is a relatively difiicultmatter, therefore, especially for the average housewife, to attach aconventional refill type of cleaning element to a mop head by the meanshereinabove described.

In the present invention, however, temporary positioning means areprovided, such means consisting of a pair of slots or channels for thescrew shanks and a pair of spring elements engaging the screw heads,said spring elements being coextensive with said slots or channels, sothat no matter where the screws are positioned, they will there be heldin place. In short, the screws are manually moved along their respectiveslots or channels into registering positions with respect to the holesin the mop head. The spring elements tend to hold the screws in suchpositions, and it therefore becomes a very simple and easy matter tothread the screws through the holes in the mop head and to secure therefill thereto.

Another object of this invention resides in the fact that thisconstruction provides important advantages to the manufacturer. Forexample, the screws may be applied to the refill type of cleaningelement after said cleaning element is completely assembled and readyfor use. Essentially, the cleaning element comprises a cellulose spongeblock and a metal plate adhesively secured thereto. The slots orchannels for the screws are formed in said plate. The spring elementsare also formed in said plate out of the very material which is removedfrom the plate in order to cut the slots or channels. There is nogreater effort required to assemble the screws and the mounting plateafter the sponge is attached to said plate than before. In many mops ofthe prior art it is necessary to attach the screws to the plate beforethe plate is attached to the sponge block, and this obviously makes forproduction problems.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a mop of thecharacter described wherein the refill type of cleaning element isinexpensively made and assembled.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of theinvention.

FIGURE 2 is an exploded view thereof.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-section on the line 33 of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the means for fastening the refill element tothe mop head.

FIGURE 5 is a section taken on the line 55 of FIG- URE 4.

FIGURE 6 is an end elevation of the illustration of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 7 is a cross-section on the line 7-7 of FIG- URE 4.

FIGURE 8 is an underside view of the illustration of FIGURE 6.

As has above been indicated, the present invention comprises thefollowing component parts: A mop handle 10, a mop head 12, a refill typeof cleaning element 14, and a pair of screw elements 16 detachablysecuring said refill element to said mop head. For purposes ofillustration, the mop which is shown in the drawing is a floor mop, andits cleaning element includes or comprises a cellulose sponge block 18.

The mop handle 10 may be attached to the mop head 12 by any conventionalmeans, and this forms no part of the present invention. The mop head isalso of conventional construction and basically it comprises anelongated rectangular plate having a pair of holes 20 formed therein onopposite sides of the place where the mop handle is joined to the mophead.

Also conventional is the sponge refill 18 and the fact that said spongerefill is mounted on a connecting plate 22. This connecting plate isalso generally rectangular in shape, approximately the dimensions andconfiguration of the mop head 12. The sponge refill 18 may be adhesivelysecured to said connecting plate 22. This is also conventional in theart.

Referring now to the connecting plate 22, it will be observed thattwo'longitudinally extending and axially aligned slots or channels 24are formed therein. This may be done by a simple metal stampingprocedure, the plate 22 being preferably made of sheet metal. Thematerial which is removed from plate 22 in order to form slots 24 is notentirely removed therefrom, and remains attached at its respective endsto said plate as the drawing clearly shows. Stated differently, thematerial which is stamped out of the plate to form slots 24 is severedfrom said plate only along the sides of said material, the ends of thematerial remaining attached as before. What is thereby produced is apair of metal strips 30 which parallel the slots coextensively therewitha spaced distance below the bottom surface of the plate.

The slots are enlarged at their adjacent ends to form receptacles 32 forthe heads 34 of screws 16. In other words, it is through enlargedopenings 32 that the heads of the screws may be inserted throughconnecting plate 22 into the space between said plate and cut out strips30. In short, the heads of the screws will be lodged between said cutout strips on the one hand, and the bottom surface of the connectingplate on the other hand. The space is snug and the cut out stripsaccordingly bear against the heads of the screws and provide aspring-bearing action with respect thereto, holding the screw headsagainst plate 22in any position to which the screws may be moved.

It will also be observed that screws 16 are provided with square shanksor shoulders 35 adjacent their respective heads. These square shanks orshoulders ride within slots 24, and their dimensions are such that theyare free to move longitudinally of the slots, but are prevented fromrotating therein; As'will shortly appear, this will fix the screwsagainst rotationwhen wingnuts38 are i pplied thereto. 7

It has above been stated that connecting plate 22 is.

being provided with depressions receiving said strips and causingface-to-face abutment of said attaching plate and said sponge block. a

3. A mop construction in accordance with claim 2 wherein said strips arestruck out of said attaching plate,

said strips being free from said attaching plate along their respectivesideedges and being connected to said attaching secured to the cellulosesponge block 18 by adhesive means. This is a conventional operation andany suitable water insoluble adhesive may be used for the purpose.

It will be understood that cellulose sponge, in a dry state, is arelatively stiff or rigid structure. However, no difliculty isencountered in scoring it to form grooves or. other necessarydepressions. In the present case, grooves 40 are formed in the spongeblock in order to receive the cut out strips 30. This permits of placingthe connecting plate 22 flush against the top surface of the spongeblock.

When an adhesive is applied between saidconnecting plate and said spongeblock, they are securely fastened to each other.

In attaching refill 14 to mop head 12, all that-needs be done is thefollowing: screws 16 are positioned in their respective slots 24 forregistration with holes 20 in the mop head. The screws are then insertedthrough said holes, and the wing nuts38 are then applied to them andtightened thereon. This completes the mounting operation.

The foregoing is illustrative. of a preferred embodiment of thisinvention, audit will be understood that the principles described hereinmay berapplied to'other forms, all Within the broad spirit of theinvention and the" broad scope of the claims.

What is claimed is: V

1. A mop construction comprising ahandle, a mop head secured to saidhandle, and a cleaning element secured to said mop head, said mopheadcomprising a plate having a plurality of holes formed therein, saidcleaningv element including an attaching plate having a plurality ofslots formed therein, and'strips substantially coextensive I with saidslots and disposed behind the slots in parallel relation thereto, aplurality. of beaded fastening elements 3 being slidably mounted in-saidslots and engaging said mop head throu'gh'its said holes in order tosecure said cleaning element to said mop head, said strips engaging theheads of said fastening elements in spring-biasing relationship toposition said fastening elements for registration with the holes in saidmop head preparatory to engagement therewith.

' plate at their ends.

4. A mop construction in accordance with claim 3 nut, saidscrew beingprovided with a square shank adjacent its head for projection throughsaid slots, said square shank permitting longitudinal sliding movementof thes crewsthrough said slots while preventing rotational movementthereof within said slots, the nuts of said fastening elements beingwing nuts for manual rotation with respect'to said screws. 1

5. In a mop construction of the character described, a refill type ofcleaning element, said cleaning element comprisin'ga plate and a spongeattached said plate, said plate being'provided with a pair ofslotsformed therein and a pair of stripsprovided behind said slots inparallel relation thereto, and a pair of screw-type fastening elementsfor attaching said re-fillcleaning element to a mop head, saidscrew-type fastening. elements comprising a pair of screws having a headat one end and a thumb nut at the opposite end, anda square shankadjacent the head, said head be- 1 References'Cited by the ExaminerUNITED STATES PATENTS 1,481,396 1/24 'Ternes.-

2,717,406 9/55 Herman et.al. 15 176x 2,912,710 11/59 Vosbikian et a1.

3,081,479 3/63 Hanlon 1s 244 X 3,107,113. 10/63 Sconzo 151-4171 2, A mopconstruction in accordance with claim 1 CHARLES A WI LLMUTH,Primary'Examiner.

1. A MOP CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING A HANDLE, A MOP HEAD SECURED TO SAIDHANDLE, AND A CLEANING ELEMENT SECURED TO SAID MOP HEAD, SAID MOP HEADCOMPRISING A PLATE HAVING A PLURALITY OF HOLES FORMED THEREIN, SAIDCLEANING ELEMENT INCLUDING AN ATTACHING PLATE HAVING A PLURALITY OFSLOTS FORMED THEREIN, AND STRIPS SUBSTANTIALLY COEXTENSIVE WITH SAIDSLOTS AND DISPOSED BEHIND THE SLOTS IN PARALLEL RELATION THERETO, APLURALITY OF HEADED FASTENING ELEMENTS BEING SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAIDSLOTS AND ENGAGING SAID MOP HEAD THROUGH ITS SAID HOLES IN ORDER TOSECURE SAID CLEANING ELEMENT TO SAID MOP HEAD, SAID STRIPS ENGAGING THEHEADS OF SAID FASTENING ELEMENTS IN SPRING-BIASING RELATIONSHIP TOPOSITION SAID FASTENING ELEMENTS FOR REGISTRATION WITH THE HOLES IN SAIDMOP HEAD PREPARATORY TO ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH.